Sadly I DNFd this one at the 25% mark because it is way too complex for my tired brain. There is no doubt it is a great book, though, but it’s just not for me. It is written in a stream-of-consciousness style jumping from one family member to another, from one time to another, and I simply couldn’t follow. Also I felt really hindered by my aphantasia because there were plenty of (short) descriptions but my mind refused to paint a mental picture of what was written. 

Dans cet essai, Judith Butler questionne la notion de genre en relation avec celle de sexe et d’hétéronormativité.
J'espérais débuter mes lectures en gender studies par ce texte, mais je me suis vite rendue compte que je ne possédais pas les clés de compréhension nécessaires, et que je ne connaissais pas les théories des auteurices avec lesquel.le.s Butler dialogue suffisamment pour apprécier les nuances de discours. Je vais m’en tenir à des ouvrages de vulgarisation pour le moment, et en attendant j’abandonne celui-là à mi-chemin.

In which I strongly recommend a book I DNFd. Don't run! 

This Sci-fi novel with strong feminist and queer vibes was everything it promised it would be. Fun, with depth and intricate world-building. I loved how the author blended Vietnamese culture into this far future, especially with the way pronouns are handled. 

The reason I stopped at the 25% point was entirely the fault of my tired brain, nothing else. I just couldn't keep track of who was who and exactly what was happening, but I know for sure that Sci-fi enthusiasts will have no problem following those endearing characters and their adventures. I loved that Aliette de Bodard included characters deemed older. Not everyone wielding bots has to be 18,you know? Here's to featuring older characters in genre fiction.

I absolutely intend to come back to this book when I have more mental space for it. In the meantime, I'll recommend it to readers who enjoy a relatively (but not too much) fast-pace adventure focused on characters, with detailed and intriguing world-building that makes people question their perceptions. 

Quand ce livre a été annoncé, c'est d'abord la couverture d'Abel Klaer qui m'a surprise et charmée-je suis l'artiste depuis quelques mois et ne m'attendais pas à voir une de ses œuvres en couverture d'un roman français. J'ai ensuite été intriguée par le peu de détails donnés sur l'intrigue elle-même. Et il s'avère qu'il est effectivement bien difficile de résumer un texte aussi complexe et polyphonique, qui m'a laissée sur le bord de la route. Je n'ai pas réussi à saisir les enjeux, la personnalité des multiples protagonistes, ni les contours d'un monde extrêmement flou mais dont on a de nombreux aperçus comme autant d'éclats de lumière dans une eau vive. Bref, j'ai abandonné ma lecture, déconcertée et frustrée par ce texte indéniablement beau (peut-être trop écrit à mon goût) mais foutraque. 

This book is well written, with interesting themes and characters, but it's simply not for me - too complicated, too much about religion, and the descriptions of mutations are far too graphic for my comfort. 

Unfortunately, the book as a whole didn't really capture my imagination enough to push me to finish it. The main character was quite likeable (a Black, disabled princess with a taste for learning), but the rest of the book was very classic in its themes when I was looking for something more original. I would however recommend it for readers up to 12 (the age of the heroin) and older readers looking for a comforting story!